Trouble in Winchester Paradise
by Krisuvial
Summary: Dean (15) and Sam (10) are asleep when the police knock on their motel door. CPS has finally caught up to the Winchesters, and John is off on a hunt. The lady in charge of their case sure knows how to push Dean's buttons, and how to keep him in line. How will the brothers survive being separated? Can Dean play the game without losing Sammy? And will John make it in time for trial?
1. CPS Sucks

**This came to me during my history class today... No way I'm abandoning my other SPN fic, just had to get this one out of me. I love young Winchesters.**

**Dean is 15, Sam is 10 (month is February, so there is the temporary 5-year age difference)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Supernatural, etc. If I did, well, I'd be pretty rich. Which I'm not, so...**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>"<em>Police! Open up!"<em>

_Dean shot out of bed at the insistent knocks and yelling. He hurried to the door, not wanting the cops to break down the motel door in their haste to enter the room. Glancing over at his still-sleeping brother, he released the deadbolt and turned the knob slowly._

"_O-officer," Dean greeted shakily. Why were the cops showing up here, at midnight?_

"_Dean Winchester?" the taller of the two cops demanded, letting themselves in. Dean nodded. "Your brother here?" Dean nodded again. "And your father?"_

"_D'n?" a small voice called out from the room. Dean stepped over to the bed, putting a comforting hand on his ten-year-old brother's shoulder._

"_Out for the night," Dean lied smoothly. "Put me in charge for the night."_

_The cops traded a look as a woman entered. "How about you tell the nice men the truth, hmmm?" she requested. _

_Dean's face fell. The woman's whole demeanor screamed CPS._

"_He... he had a job," Dean sighed. _

"_How long has he be gone?" tall cop demanded._

_Dean glanced at Sammy. "Just left earlier. Put me in charge for the day. It's no big deal."_

"_Boys, we know your father has not been around in a week," the shorter cop stated. "The motel has security footage that prove it."_

_Dean sank onto the bed. Sam let the covers fall from his torso and squirmed up against his big brother. Even he understood this was bed._

_All three adults spotted the bruises on the younger boys' arms._

"_We need to take you into protective custody," the tall cop said._

_Dean pulled Sam tight to his body. "Are we gonna get split up?" he demanded._

"_Not as long as you both behave," the lady promised._

_Dean sighed, standing. "C'mon, Sammy," he breathed. "Be good."_

_Sam nodded, eyes wide. Within moments they were seated in the back of a cop car, heading towards downtown._

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><p>Sam sat in the chair, nervously fingering the hem of his shirt. Well, technically it was Dean's shirt. They had been told to get dressed quickly, with barely any time to dig Sam's bag out from under the bed. It was easier to just grab one of his big brother's shirts.<p>

"Samuel?" a woman's voice asked. She appeared next to him, sitting in a chair too.

"Sam," Sam whispered. "It's Sam."

The woman smiled. "Sam, then. I'm Jennie. How are you feeling?"

Sam looked down at his hands. "Tired. Want Dean."

"I just need you to answer a couple questions for me, Sam," Jennie said. "Then you can see Dean. Can you do that for me, answer a few questions?"

"I'm not s'posed to talk without Dean," Sam mumbled.

"Don't worry, Sam," Jennie replied. "Dean's gonna answer questions too. He'd want you to cooperate so you can be together."

Sam frowned. That didn't sound right to him. But he really wanted to be with Dean. He didn't like the big police man standing in the corner of the room. Police men meant bad news.

"Sam, look at me," Jennie ordered. Sam looked up, tears in his eyes. "Do you know where your father is?"

Sam shook his head. "N-no, Dean duh-does."

"Does your father leave you alone a lot?" Jennie wondered.

"No," Sam whimpered. "D-dean's always with me..."

Jennie could tell that the little boy was lying. "Now, now, don't lie to me. Boys who lie don't go to a new family with their big brother."

The tears streamed down Sam's face. "I want Dean!"

"Answer me honestly then!" Jennie commanded, her voice soft but authoritative. "Where did those bruises on your body come from? Does your father or Dean hit you?"

Sam shook his head, curls bouncing everywhere, eyes wide. "No! Never!"

"Then explain the bruising," Jennie instructed. "And I noticed you had some pretty bad cuts too. What happened?"

"I-I need D-dean!" Sam whined, hiccuping and curling in on himself. He couldn't tell the truth, he wasn't allowed to. No one would believe him.

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><p>Dean drummed his fingers on the table, the handcuff itching his hand. He and Sam had been separated as soon as they entered the police station. Sam was taken down one hall and Dean down another. Of course, Dean had threatened the cops holding him from getting to his little brother. He'd swung out at one and had been quickly subdued and cuffed. They'd took his phone, knife, and lock-pick so there was really no escape.<p>

The CPS woman entered the room with a cop behind her. "Hello, Dean," she greeted, taking a seat across from the teenager.

"Where's my brother?" Dean demanded.

"He's waiting outside," the woman promised. "You two can be together as soon as we're done talking."

"I don't get why we're here," Dean huffed. He tried to scratch his nose but remembered his hands were cuffed. He frowned. "Think you can free me from these things? I ain't gonna hit no one else."

The woman smirked. "But you did hit a cop already."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Lady, they took my little brother away without warning me. It's my job to protect the kid."

The CPS woman nodded, looking at the cop. He came over and freed Dean's wrists. He rubbed them to get circulation back, the itch forgotten.

"Ready to talk, Dean?" the woman asked. "By the way, I'm Jennie."

"I talk, then I get Sammy back?" Dean countered.

"Yes, you can be together after we talk," Jennie promised.

"What do you want to know?" Dean relented.

"How often are you and Sam left alone?" Jennie questioned.

Dean bit his lip. "Once in a while. Dad goes on business trips sometimes. Leaves me in charge. I'm old enough."

"Why doesn't he leave you with a relative or friend?" Jennie asked.

"Usually he's not gone this long," Dean answered. That at least was the truth. The longer hunts were not as common as one-to-two day hunts. "And we have no other family. It's just us." And fat chance Dad would leave us with a 'friend'. He doesn't trust anyone after what Bobby did...

"Has your dad ever hit you, or Sam?" Jennie suddenly asked.

Dean blinked. "What?"

"Has your dad ever been violent towards you?" Jennie questioned. "Hit or yell?"

Dean frowned. Hell yeah, but not like he'd ever admit it. "No, never."

Jennie sighed. "It's ninety degrees and you're wearing a long-sleeve jacket," she noted. "Let me see your arms."

Dean shook his head.

"Kid, if you don't listen you won't get to see that brother of yours," the cop warned.

Dean ducked his head and shrugged his jacket off. He only wore a tank top under it, what he had worn to bed.

"How'd you get those bruises?" Jennie demanded.

Dean smirked. "Fighting at school," he lied. "New kids get picked on, you know."

Jennie pursed her lips. She didn't believe anyone would be stupid enough to take on this fifteen-year-old. "I don't believe you."

Dean shrugged, putting his jacket back on. Like she would believe the truth. He'd gotten beaten pretty bad by an angry spirit two days ago. His dad had picked him and Sam up from school early to do a simple salt-and-burn that got a little out of hand.

Dean mentally cursed. They'd probably already seen the bruises on Sam and questioned him about it...

"We found guns in the motel room," Jennie announced.

"Shit," Dean breathed. Louder he replied, "Guns?"

Jennie nodded. "Don't play dumb, boy. They were well-hidden, but easily accessible."

Dean sighed. "We hunt sometimes. Ya' know, deer and stuff."

"Final question, Dean," Jennie promised, doubt written all over her face. She wasn't believing a word he said. "When is your dad supposed to be back?"

Dean racked his brain. He hadn't said... "Day after tomorrow, give or take."

Jennie nodded. "Come on, I'll take you to your brother now."

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><p>As soon as Dean entered the room Sam shot up and ran to him. Dean took a few steps back, shocked. "Sammy, hey, shhh, what's wrong?"<p>

Sam sobbed against Dean's chest. The door shut and Dean knelt down to his little brother's level. "Sammy? Did someone hurt you? What's wrong?"

Sam pulled away, but didn't move from Dean's grasp. "Th-they blamed Dad an-and y-you for my bru-bruises..."

"Ah," Dean breathed. "They tried to do that to me, too. It's ok, Sammy. They got nothin' on me or Dad. I'm gonna get my phone call and call Dad up and he'll get us far away from here, ok?"

"Juh-Jennie said we're guh-gonna go to a n-new f-family," Sam mumbled. "An' if I didn't a-answer, we... we... we wouldn't be tuh-together no more! An'... and I didn't an-answer! We're guh-gonna be separated! Deeeee!"

"Shhh, they can't do that to us," Dean promised. "They can't separate us. I won't let them. You know that. Dad will be here in no time and we'll get far from this place. Then no one can hurt us. Life'll go back to normal."

Sam took a deep breath. "Promise?"

The door slammed open. "Good news, boys!"

Dean and Sam both looked up at Jennie. "Dad's here?" Dean wondered. No way their dad found them. As far as Dean knew, no one bothered to contact him yet. Dean hadn't been in touch with him at least.

"No, you two won't be going with your dad," Jennie announced. "We have found two families willing to take you boys in until a trial can be set, probably sometime next week. The court will decide if you can go back to your father or if you'll be placed into the foster care system."

"Two families?" Dean asked.

"It's been decided that it's in everyone's best interest to have you both separated, with no contact, until the trial," Jennie explained as four cops walked into the room.

"Dean?" Sam squeaked.

"No, please, no," Dean begged. "Sammy's my responsibility! He can't be taken from me!"

"Dean, you're only fifteen," Jennie sighed, motioning for the cops to pull the boys apart. "You little brother is not your responsibility. He is your father's responsibility."

Dean shook his head. "You don't understand!"

Two cops, huge men, stepped over to Dean and lifted him off the ground. It only took one cop to pull Sam away.

"D'n!" Sam cried. "No!"

Dean glared at Jennie, struggling in the cops' holds. "You can't do this! He needs me!"

"Codependency to this degree is unhealthy," Jennie responded, watching the second two cops take Sam out of the room. The boy was crying and wiggling, unable to break free. "This is for the best, Dean. Maybe after the trial we can put you in the same foster home. It's just a week, Dean. Be good for a whole week and I'll personally make sure you two stay together. But that means no contact with Sam. At all. He'll be in a different school, different town. And obey your temporary foster parents. No broken rules. If you do anything out of line, I will make sure you two never can see each other again. This is for his safety even more so than yours. I saw his bruises and other injuries, Dean. I'm going to find out how he got them and who did it. Play the game and we all win. Cross me and you'll move up on my suspect list and find yourself in juvenile hall."

Dean bit his lip. "Fine! I'll play by your rules. Just... let me see him before the trial? I have to make sure he's ok before then."

"I'll set something up for Monday," Jennie promised. "Best behavior or else you won't get to see him."

Dean nodded. He would play by her rules for now. He had no other choice. Sammy was on the line...

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><p><strong>Thoughts? The dreaded Child Protective Services have finally caught up to the Winchesters... How are they going to handle it? Being separated and all? Reviews are lovely! This is only gonna be a few chapters, I've actually got the story planned out mostly.<strong>

**-Kris-**


	2. Foster Families

**Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! I'm glad people are enjoying this story!**

**It's still a bit short for my taste, but the next chapters should get longer.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Sam sat quietly at the dining table with his temporary foster family. He hadn't said a word since he left the police station. All he did was look down and focus on first the pavement, then the inside of a cruiser, more pavement, and finally hardwood. He still wasn't too sure of what had happened in the last few hours. All he knew was he had been taken away from Dean and brought to this big fancy house too far away from the motel. How would his dad ever find him out here?<p>

"Samuel is to have no contact with his brother or father until further notice," one of the cops instructed the man and woman seated opposite of Sam. "Ms. Marks has promised that the boys can be together for a while on Monday so long as both behave themselves. If you have any questions or problems her number is on the top of the paperwork. The trial will probably be set for either Thursday or Friday."

"Thank you, Officer Jones, Officer Madison," the man, Mr. Bentz, said.

"We are more than happy to have Samuel stay here for a few days," his wife, Mrs. Bentz, added.

They stood and saw the two officers out of the house. Sam remained at the table. They returned shortly.

"Samuel," Mr. Bentz said. "Are you tired? Hungry?"

Sam's lip quivered. He shook his head. He just wanted Dean.

"Look up when spoken to," Mrs. Bentz ordered. Sam slowly looked up. "Kyle asked you a question. Use your words. Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"No, Ma'am," Sam whispered.

"Are you tired?" Kyle asked.

Sam nodded. "Yessir."

"Well, we will let you sleep for a couple hours," Kyle decided. "Normally we will not let you sleep past seven, but since I am sure you have not slept much tonight, we will make an acceptation. You will start school on Monday, since today is Friday. Later Maria will take you to register and to get clothing. Follow me and I will show you your room."

Sam silently followed Kyle up to the second floor. His room was down the hall from the master bedroom. It was huge, with a large bed in the center. Sam climbed up and slid under the blankets, barely noticing how soft and comfy it was. He ached to curl up against Dean. This was the first night that Sam was denied that in what may have been ever.

Kyle turned out the light and softly shut the door. Sam cried himself to sleep for the first time in years.

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><p>Dean sat on the couch. From what he'd seen so far that house wasn't all that great, but it was far better than any motel or apartment he'd ever been forced to call home. His leg bounced impatiently as his foster mom and Jennie talked outside the front door. He already knew he had to behave himself, he didn't need to hear it again for the hundredth time. He'd be good if it meant he could be with Sammy again.<p>

"Hi!" a little girl exclaimed, running into the room. She grinned up at Dean, blonde curls bouncing as she stopped moving. "I'm Lily."

Dean gave her a small smile. "I'm Dean," he replied.

A little boy that looked like a carbon copy of Lily, but with shorter hair, skidded into the room next. "Tina said not to come in here yet!" he hissed.

Lily grinned. "But Dean's nice!" she exclaimed.

"How can you tell?" the boy demanded.

"He's got nice eyes, Max," Lily stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Dean relaxed. "Don't worry, I wouldn't hurt you guys."

Max relaxed then too. "Sorry..."

Dean shrugged. Whatever reason those two were in the system, it had to be bad if the boy couldn't trust anyone around his sister. _Sound familiar, Winchester?_

"We're twins!" Lily announced, climbing onto the couch next to Dean. "We're six."

Max climbed up to sit next to his sister. They both looked at Dean.

"I'm fifteen," he announced. The twins' eyes widened.

"You're so old!" they exclaimed. Dean laughed.

The woman/foster mom entered the room then. Dean heard Jennie's car drive away.

"Welcome to our home, Dean," she greeted. "I'm Tina McRoy. Call me Tina. I see you've met Lily and Max. You'll meet the others later, I'm sure. Are you hungry?"

Dean nodded. "They didn't feed us... me... before coming here."

"Us?" Lily asked. She followed Dean and Tina into the kitchen. "There's only you here."

Dean sat at the table. "Um, my little brother was taken somewhere else."

Suddenly Max appeared next to Dean. His eyes smoldered. "They took him away from you?" He pulled Lily close to him, as if to keep someone from taking her away. Lily laid her head on his shoulder in response.

"Just for a few days," Dean sighed. A long few days...

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><p>"Samuel? Time to wake up!"<p>

Sam blinked himself awake. A woman was standing over him. It all came crashing back to him. The motel, police station, being questioned and then torn from Dean... The ten-year-old started to cry again.

"Now, now, no more of that," the woman, Maria, ordered. She had a no-nonsense voice, but it also held some semblance of kindness. Kinder than his dad's voice, at least. Sam struggled to control his tears. He slipped out of bed and silently followed the woman downstairs.

"First we will go sign you up for school," Maria stated, placing a plate with eggs and toast in front of Sam. He frowned at the eggs, eating only the toast. He gladly drank the orange juice provided. "Then we will go get your uniform and a few other outfits."

It didn't take Sam long to finish the toast. Maria shook her head when he started to get up. "Before you may leave the table you must always ask permission."

Sam looked down at his hands. "Can I get up?"

"No, eat your eggs first," Maria ordered.

"I don't like eggs," Sam sighed.

"Samuel..." Maria warned.

"It's Sam," Sam replied.

"Samuel, eat your eggs right now," Maria commanded. "If you don't I won't let you see your brother on Monday."

Tears formed in Sam's eyes as he picked his fork up and stabbed the eggs. He ate quickly, trying to get it over with as fast as possible. He really hated eggs.

"Now go put on your shoes," Maria ordered. "We have a lot to do."

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><p>Dean woke to the screeches of little children. He stretched in bed, slowly remembering everything that happened yesterday. Apparently he'd be starting a new school today, on a Friday. It was always the worst day to start on.<p>

Dean threw on a clean outfit. An officer had come by during the night with his duffel from the motel. Pleased to see that his salt lines hadn't been broken overnight, Dean made his way down to the cramped kitchen.

Lily and Max sat next to him at the table. Across from him the other two younger kids, Collin and Tyler, sat already digging into cereal. The only other member of this strange family he hadn't met yet was just stumbling into the room, her hair loosely tied in a bun and pajamas still on.

"You must be Dean," she said, glancing up at him. "I'm Kat."

Dean nodded, picking at own bowl of cereal. He was thinking about Sam. It was all he could think about. He hadn't slept very well without his little brother curled up tight against chest. The room was too quiet, the bed too empty.

Twenty minutes later everyone was herded into a van. Tina took the little kids to the elementary school before heading to the high school for Dean and Kat. Kat grudgingly brought Dean to the main office, then ditched him. The teenager sighed, then made his way to the secretary. It wasn't the first time he'd have to navigate a school by himself. And it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"I'm here to pick up my schedule," Dean announced. The elderly secretary flipped through papers on her desk.

"Winchester?" she asked. Dean nodded. She handed over a class list. "Rooms should be easy to find. 100-level is first floor, 200-level is second, and so on. A-wing on the left, B in the center, C on the right. Your teachers will have books for you. Have them all sign the paper and bring it back to me at the end of the day."

Dean nodded. At fifteen he could be a sophomore, but moving around so much caused him to fall behind so much he was still considered a freshman. Oh well, it was easier that way.

Finding the classes was easy, for once. His locked was in the middle of the first floor, near his last period class. Throughout the day he actually talked to a few people, sat with some people at lunch. A few girls caught his eye, and he caught the eye of many, many more girls. Under any other circumstances Dean could actually enjoy this school, but knowing when he returned "home" there would be no little brother to talk his ear off put a damper on it. This was going to be a long, awful weekend.

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><p>Friday evening John pulled up to his motel. Parking the Impala outside, he grabbed a few grocery bags and let himself into the room. He was surprised not to find his boys there waiting for him. He figured since it was such a nice day they were outside enjoying themselves. His hunt had gone particularly well and he was one step closer to finding the beast that had claimed his only love's life. He was in such a good mood he wanted to treat his boys to a special dinner.<p>

John called Dean's cellphone first after putting his groceries away. It went straight to voice-mail. John frowned. Dean _never_ turned his phone off. Something was wrong.

It was then that John spotted the note on the table. He shivered, opening it up. It was printed on fancy police-station paper.

_John Winchester, Dean and Samuel have been taken into protective custody. You are being charged with child neglect, abandonment, and endangering the welfare of children. The trial is set for Friday, February 13, at 3PM. If you have any desire to retain custody of one of both of the boys, you will be present with a lawyer to plead your case. You are to have no contact with either child in the meantime. CPS has handled placing them in separate foster homes for the time being. Please call the CPS office at your earliest convenience. The town of Kamala police._

John dropped the note. He pulled out his phone, dialing Bobby's number. The older hunter picked up on the third ring. "Winchester? What do you want?"

"Bobby, it's CPS," John groaned. "They got my boys."

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><p><strong>What do you think? I'm enjoying writing this story a lot. Questions, comments, concerns? Let me know!<strong>

**~Kris~**


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